EP0918695A1 - Structure d'emballage de volume variable - Google Patents

Structure d'emballage de volume variable

Info

Publication number
EP0918695A1
EP0918695A1 EP96925228A EP96925228A EP0918695A1 EP 0918695 A1 EP0918695 A1 EP 0918695A1 EP 96925228 A EP96925228 A EP 96925228A EP 96925228 A EP96925228 A EP 96925228A EP 0918695 A1 EP0918695 A1 EP 0918695A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
angle
pieces
packaging structure
structure according
arms
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP96925228A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0918695B1 (fr
Inventor
Lars Fredmark
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UPC United Products Co AB
Original Assignee
UPC United Products Co AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by UPC United Products Co AB filed Critical UPC United Products Co AB
Publication of EP0918695A1 publication Critical patent/EP0918695A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0918695B1 publication Critical patent/EP0918695B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
    • B65D21/08—Containers of variable capacity
    • B65D21/086—Collapsible or telescopic containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D61/00—External frames or supports adapted to be assembled around, or applied to, articles

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a variable volume transport pac K ag- mg structure of the kind defined m the preamble of Claim 1.
  • So-called disposable paperboard cartons and the like are at present used to a large extent in packaging an assortment of products for transportation. These disposable cartons or boxes are bulky and when their contents have been removed and placed on display shelves in the store or shop concerned, it is necessary to dispose of the empty carton in some appropriate manner. This disposal is a relatively complex operation, since the person concerned must first cut the packaging material so that it can be folded to a minimum volume, and thereafter sent to a waste recycling plant, for environmental reasons. The use of disposable cartons and boxes is both complicated and expensive.
  • one object of the invention is to provide a transport packaging structure of variable volume that can be used to package many different types of goods units with corresponding variations in size.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging structure that can be adapted to goods units of rectangular cross-section and of different sizes and different width/height cross-sectional ratios.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a packaging structure that can be collapsed to a relatively small storage volume which will facilitate transportation of the empty or collapsed packaging structure to a recycling station or the like in which the packaging structure can be destroyed, recycled or reused.
  • Yet another ob j ect of the invention is to provide a packaging structure that can be used as an auxiliary means which will enable the contents of the package (normally in the form of a plurality of consumer packages) to oe moved to a display station, such as a display shelf or the like in a store or shop, without needing to leave the actual packaging structure m place until all of its contents have been removed.
  • a display station such as a display shelf or the like in a store or shop
  • the invention is based on the realization that articles of a generally parallelepipedic shape and of rectangular cross- section can be packaged for transportation with the aid of four angle-pieces that are disposed to receive a respective corner edge of the article, such that one angle-piece receives a respective corner of the article as seen in cross- section. These angle-pieces shall therewith be held together to form a coherent unit. This is achieved by mutually connecting ad j acent angle-pieces that delimit one and the same side of the article cross-section with a connecting and holding device that is connected at its ends to said two angle-pieces and which is adapted to permit tne distance between said ad j acent angle-pieces to be selectively ad ust- ed.
  • Such holding devices may be placed between all pairs of mutually ad j acent angle-pieces, i.e. on all four sides of the goods cross-section, although it will be understood that one side of such a holding device may be left free.
  • the angle- pieces of the transport packaging structure can be brought readily into engagement with a respective corner edge of a goods unit by mutual parallel displacement of said angle- pieces, whereafter the angle-pieces can be fixed in position in relation to the packaged goods unit by means of a locking device.
  • This locking device may have the form of a lashing, a bundle strap, securing straps, packaging tape or the like wound externally around the goods-holding angle-pieces in their longitudinal direction.
  • the package When a thus packaged unit is transported to the place at which the packaged goods un i t shall be removed, the package is easily opened by simply removing the locking device and lifting the package in the longitudinal direction of the angle-pieces.
  • the holding devices have the form of arms whose ends are coupled to respective angle-pieces by virtue of frictional forces acting therebetween, the arms are able to hold together the angle- pieces although with limited friction between said angle- pieces and the packaged articles when removing the locking device. This enables the transport packaging structure to form guide means which enables the packaged unit to be pushed or pulled axially from the packaging structure.
  • the goods unit is comprised of a stack of packaging units or stacks of small packages ( consum- er packages) that lie side-by-side, irrespective of whether the stacks shall be pushed horizontally onto a shelf or shall be stacked vertically in a storage box, for instance m a chest freezer.
  • the holding devices have the form of arms that are hinged at at least one position between the ends thereof connected to the angle- pieces, this hinge enabling its associated arm to be collapsed generally in the plane defined by the adjacent side surface of the goods unit.
  • Embodiments at present preferred include two such arms disposed on each mam side of the transport packaging structure, said arms being conveniently disposed m the proximity of a respective end of the angle-pieces.
  • the angle-pieces preferably consist of L-profiles of mutually equal lengths.
  • the angle-pieces may be held together by securing elements connected between diagonally opposing angle-pieces at the ends of said angle-pieces.
  • a pair of such crossing securing elements at each end of the packaging structure will not only provide a means of locking the angle-pieces together in their individual positions, but will also prevent movement of an enclosed goods unit in the longitudinal direction of the angle-pieces.
  • panels are placed between mutually adjacent pairs of angle-pieces, so as to form a rectangular packaging tube together with said angle-pieces.
  • end panels can be placed between the side panels at the ends of the angle-pieces, such that the side panels and end panels define a parallelepipedic container which is held together by the transport packaging structure, which in this case also functions to completely shield the enclosed goods unit from the surroundings.
  • the panels also form reinforcements which prevent parallel movement of the angle- pieces towards one another by external forces.
  • the arms are preferably bevelled along their longitudinal edges, so that the arms will be guided into an overlapping relationship without interfering with each other as the arms are dropped partially in over one another.
  • the flanges of the angle-pieces will also preferably be bevelled, so as to enable said angle-pieces to slide in over one another as they are moved parallel and into contact with each other, wherein the bevels on the arms and the angle-piece flanges may be arranged to guide said arms and said flanges onto one another as the packaging structure is collapsed to a maximum col ⁇ lapsed state, instead of said arms and flanges colliding rigidly with one another.
  • the locking means used to hold the packaging structure together may comprise a screw joint or a clamp joint which function to fixate the arms in a set configuration relative to the angle-pieces and relative to one another by frictional forces.
  • the locking device will preferably have the form of one or more straps tightened around the angle-pieces in a manner to hold said angle-pieces firmly on the corner edges of the enclosed goods unit. Disposable strap means may be used in this respect.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective illustration of an inventive packag- ing structure
  • Fig. 2 is an end view of one embodiment of a packaging structure disposed around a goods unit
  • Fig. 3 is an end view of another embodiment of the transport packaging structure
  • Fig. 4 illustrates schematically from above one side of the packaging structure
  • Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V m Fig. 4
  • the transport packaging structure illustrated in Fig. 1 is comprised of four angle-pieces 1-4 of essentially equal length and placed side-by-side.
  • Each of the angle-pieces is formed by a straight elongated element having two flanges at right angles to one another, such as to define an inner corner which receives an outer corner of a goods unit (not shown in Fig. 1) to be packaged.
  • Mutually adjacent angle- pieces 1, 2 are joined together by means of at least one arm 6.
  • Respective arms are constructed to enable mutually adjacent angle-pieces to be selectively spaced at a given distance from one another.
  • arms 6 extend between all pairs of mutually adjacent angle-pieces, although it will be understood that arms 6 can be excluded between a pair of angle- pieces.
  • the illustrated packaging structure is intended to receive a goods unit of generally rectangular and constant cross-section.
  • the goods unit may comprise a stack of rectangular objects, or four mutually adjacent stacks of objects which together form a goods unit and whose mutually parallel corner edges are received in a respective angle-piece 1-4. Also shown m Fig. 1 is a tightening or securing band 7 which extends around the four angle-pieces 1-4 so as to secure said angle- pieces against a goods unit packaged in the packaging structure .
  • the arms 6 may be construct- ed to be self-locking such as to maintain mutually adjacent angle-pieces at a fixed distance apart.
  • the holding devices 6 have the form of arms which are hinged at 61 between their respective ends and pivotally connected at said ends 62, 63 to respective angle-pieces.
  • the hinge 61 and the pivotal connections 62, 63 will preferably have parallel axes so as to enable the arms 6 to be folded in a plane which is parallel and lies ad j acent a plane presented by the adjacent, generally parallel profiles between which the arms extend.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates tensionmg devices 8 that extend between diagonally opposite angle-pieces at their respective ends.
  • a pair of such crossing tensionmg devices at each end of the packaging structure forms a locking means which will firmly hold the angle-pieces 1-4 against an enclosed goods unit, said tensionmg devices 8 also functioning to prevent the goods unit 9 from sliding from the transport packaging structure in the longitudinal direction of the angle-pieces 1-4.
  • panels 10, 11 may be placed within the packaging structure with the longitudinal edges of the panels received by the inner corners of the angle-pieces such that these panels 10, 11 together with said angle-pieces 1-4 form a tubular packaging structure which is held together by locking means, such as tensionmg straps 7, tensionmg or tightening devices 8, or the like.
  • An open or a closed container which places no requirements on the shape or nature of the goods can be obtained by fitting an end panel to one or both ends of the angle-pieces 1-4 (the short ends of panels 10, 11).
  • the tightening straps may be of a disposable kind and consist of so-called bundle straps, packaging tape, packaging bands, and so on.
  • one holding device/arm 6 on each side of the transport packaging structure may be sufficient.
  • the mam purpose of the holding devices is to keep the angle- pieces 1-4 in generally parallel relationship and preferably juxtaposed, wherein the arms also function to maintain the angle-pieces mutually orientated to receive the corners of a goods unit of rectangular cross-section.
  • the devices 6 are configured and mounted so that the two flanges with which an arm connects are held facing towards one another.
  • the arms 6 may be formed by elongated flat band-like elements which are connected to one another and to the angle-pieces by bolt j oints or the like. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the ends of the arm- links 64, 65 and the adjoining flanges 11, 12 of the angle-pieces may be bevelled to minimize the risk of the links 64, 65 interfering with the flanges 11, 12 when folded in over said flanges. The long edges of the links 64, 65 are also preferably bevelled to counteract mutual interference when said links are folded-in towards one another.
  • the mutually proximal end edges of the flanges 12, 13 of said angle-pieces 2, 3 may also be bevelled so as to enable the flange 12 to slide in beneath the flange 11 when the angle-pieces 2, 3 are moved close together.
  • One link or arm 65 may also be mounted on its respective angle-piece flange 12 through the medium of a spacer element 13, so as to counteract interference between the mutually coacting components when the angle-pieces 2, 3 that define one side of the packaging structure are pushed towards each other.
  • the packaging structure is developed so that the inner corners of the angle-pieces 1-4 define a rectangular cross- sectional area which is larger than the cross-sectional area of a goods unit to be received by the packaging structure, whereafter the packaging structure is placed on the goods unit and the angle-pieces 1-4 then moved into engagement with respective outer corners of the goods unit, wherein the illustrated arms 6 are folded around their respective hinges 61.
  • the packaging structure is then secured with the aid of a bundle strap, tightening strap 7.
  • the packaging structure and its contents can then be transported to a store or shop for instance, where the goods unit, for instance a stack of consumer articles or packages, is to be placed on a shelf for display or sale.
  • the person performing this task can then simply cut the strap 7 and push the goods unit onto the shelf, with the unit guided by the angle-pieces 1-4.
  • the transport packaging structure can then be collapsed to its minimum volume and sent back for reuse or recycling.
  • the packaging structure When the transport packaging structure lacks a holding device on one of its sides, the packaging structure may readily be placed sideways on the goods unit. When holding devices 6 are provided on all sides of the packaging structure, it is necessary to place the goods unit into the packaging structure from one end thereof.
  • the transport packaging structure can be readily adapted to different rectangular sizes and height/width ratios in respect of the cross-section of the goods unit to be packaged, and that the goods unit may have a length essentially equal to the length of the angle-pieces 1.
  • inventive transport packaging structure can be erected and collapsed very easily, and that its volume can be varied greatly in a simple and expedient manner.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Abstract

Une structure d'emballage de transport de volume variable comprend quatre pièces d'angle parallèles et mutuellement adjacentes (1, 2, 3, 4). Chaque pièces d'angle possède deux brides (11, 12) qui définissent un angle de 90 DEG entre elles afin de former une équerre intérieure regardant vers l'intérieur de la structure. Des pièces d'angle mutuellement adjacentes sur au moins trois côtés de la structure d'emballage sont assemblées par au moins un bras (6) qui sert à espacer deux pièces d'angle d'une distance choisie.
EP96925228A 1996-07-15 1996-07-15 Structure d'emballage de volume variable Expired - Lifetime EP0918695B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/SE1996/000957 WO1998002359A1 (fr) 1996-07-15 1996-07-15 Structure d'emballage de volume variable

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0918695A1 true EP0918695A1 (fr) 1999-06-02
EP0918695B1 EP0918695B1 (fr) 2002-05-08

Family

ID=20401768

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96925228A Expired - Lifetime EP0918695B1 (fr) 1996-07-15 1996-07-15 Structure d'emballage de volume variable

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US6257442B1 (fr)
EP (1) EP0918695B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE217279T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU6538696A (fr)
DE (1) DE69621162T2 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998002359A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7377016B2 (en) * 2003-06-25 2008-05-27 Michael Kelly Coffin
US8292095B2 (en) 2009-04-29 2012-10-23 Rock-Tenn Shared Services, Llc Expandable display system
US10741014B2 (en) * 2016-12-23 2020-08-11 Glenn Kramer Adjustable prize chute
US11793331B2 (en) * 2021-05-07 2023-10-24 Michael V. Skrypek Wine rack
US11510506B1 (en) * 2021-11-11 2022-11-29 Vira Insight, Llc Expandable retail pusher display

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1155475A (en) * 1913-07-05 1915-10-05 Thomas J Fay Collapsible-frame parcel-sack.
US2020766A (en) * 1930-07-21 1935-11-12 Reinhardt H Brown Collapsible basket
US2182932A (en) * 1937-06-19 1939-12-12 Percy P Sanford Package
US2638399A (en) * 1951-07-19 1953-05-12 Elizabeth W Seymour Clothes hamper
US3096923A (en) * 1960-11-23 1963-07-09 Piller Lawrence Moving and storage container and strengthening frame therefor
US3094361A (en) * 1961-03-27 1963-06-18 Poyer David Convertible camper's cupboard
US3265284A (en) * 1964-05-13 1966-08-09 Owens Illinois Glass Co Bulk storage container
US3286752A (en) * 1964-08-13 1966-11-22 Mobilcraft Mfg Inc Hamper
JPS495953B1 (fr) * 1964-10-05 1974-02-09
FR2077841A7 (fr) 1970-02-18 1971-11-05 Vandemberghe Gerard
DE3440123A1 (de) 1984-11-02 1986-05-07 Gerhard 6607 Quierschied Jung Transport- und stapel-palette
US4646802A (en) * 1986-02-24 1987-03-03 Worldsbest Industries, Inc. Removably-supported hamper bag and foldable support therefor
US5667066A (en) * 1995-08-03 1997-09-16 Seymour Housewares Corporation Collapsible laundry hamper assembly with latching feature

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9802359A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1998002359A1 (fr) 1998-01-22
US6257442B1 (en) 2001-07-10
EP0918695B1 (fr) 2002-05-08
AU6538696A (en) 1998-02-09
DE69621162T2 (de) 2002-12-05
DE69621162D1 (de) 2002-06-13
ATE217279T1 (de) 2002-05-15

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